'Super Smash Bros' For Switch In Nintendo's Ticket Into Esports
After Nintendo announced a new "Super Smash Bros" title for the Switch, fans were definitely elated. But while most were excited just to receive a new entry into the franchise, some saw this as an opportunity for the company to break into the world of esports.
Nintendo and eSports are just two words one rarely finds in the same sentence. This is mostly due to the fact that the legendary Japanese game company just wasn't interested in the prospect.
Even as western game companies embraced the eSports scene, Nintendo's venture into the competitive scene mostly remained as a topic of conversation rather than an actual thing.
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This all changed with the release of "Super Smash Bros: Melee," their most popular title in the competitive scene. With the game's massive popularity, many believed it was the time for Nintendo to get involved in the world of esports.
Unfortunately, Nintendo's support was smaller than expected. Sure the company wasn't on the verge of banning streams of its title from EVO 2014, it even supported it. However, it will take a few more years for the company to fully immerse itself in the competitive gaming scene.
Back in 2017, Nintendo created their esports focused Nintendo Versus Twitter account. Representing competitive games such as "ARMS" and "Splatoon," many saw it as Nintendo's full commitment to esports.
This was soon followed by Genesis announcing their partnership with Nintendo making the tournament into a sanctioned event. Featuring "Smash 64," "Super Smash Bros: Melee," and "Smash Wii U," Genesis became the first official eSport event to have the full backing on Nintendo.
However, it was last week's Nintendo Direct announcement of a new "Super Smash Bros" title for the Nintendo Switch that caused many fans to go into full esports frenzy. Could it be? The first Nintendo title created with esports in mind?
The answer to that is still unclear. However, if the recent development is to be any guide, the odds are good that the next "Super Smash Bros" will be Nintendo's ticket into the esports scene.
